Expat Lessons

January 23, 2012

This week, I'm beginning a series on Brazilians who lived abroad and decided to move back to Brazil. (I'll also cover the latest in visa news from both Brazil and the U.S. in a separate post). If you're a Brazilian who returned home after living abroad who's interested in telling your story, please let me know! Leave a comment or email me directly at riogringaconsult at gmail dot com.

November 06, 2011

I stumbled across a fascinating anecdote in a book a few months ago about a gringa in Rio, and put it on my growing to do list of things to research. But someone at Globo must have come across the same story, because a twenty-minute interview was released this weekend with the very same person.

According to Eduardo Galeano, Peggy Dulany Rockefeller went to live in Rio de Janeiro in the early 1960s, moving in with a family in Jacarezinho, a favela in Zona Norte. As a recent high school graduate, she worked with local organizations in Rio favelas. At one point, Peggy's father came to visit and allegedly left a check for the host family, giving the family a boost akin to a winning lottery ticket. But there's not much information about why Peggy went or what kind of work she did there.

So between the interview below and a bit of research, I discovered that Peggy's time in Rio was essentially a defining moment for the rest of her life. She didn't use her father's name while in Rio, and worked with a group of sociologists, anthropologists, volunteers and community members in social development. She cites her experiences there as the inspiration for her career in social development and philanthropy. After living in Rio, she went to get her BA and doctorate at Harvard, and founded the Synergos Institute in 1986, an organization which aims to "facilitate relationships between grassroots leaders and political or business leaders, people who otherwise would not have access to each other, so that they can develop long-term relationships and forge new paths in overcoming poverty." She has also worked with the UN and the Ford Foundation on health care and family planning in Brazil and the US.

In the interview below, Peggy (or as she's now called, Dr. Dulany), discusses her love of Brazilian culture, the warmth and welcoming nature of the people she encountered, a bit about her time in Rio, her experience with social development, and her work with Synergos -- all in Portuguese, with a carioca accent. The Globo video production is not the best, but it's a very interesting interview worth watching.

November 01, 2011

When gringa blogger Flora wrote about her experiences studying at PUC Rio, the reaction was immediate and sent a ripple through the education community in Rio and even Brazil. It also made the local news, and started an interesting dialogue about university education in Brazil. Some people were angry, and accused her of being an arrogant American; others were excited that someone dared point out problems in the system. So I decided to ask around and see what other foreigners' experiences were like studying abroad in Brazil. I also asked Brazilians who studied abroad to compare their experiences. I've included some of the responses here.

The conclusion? It's a mixed bag. Generally speaking, students tended to have better academic experiences at public universities, more so than private universities. Some noted that there were great opportunities for students outside of class, including internships and research positions. Students who studied liberal arts or social sciences tended to feel less challenged than those studying math or science, though Portuguese was a challenge for most. Many perceived less flexibility for students to choose classes, and more limited opportunities for in-depth classroom discussions or critical thinking in class. Some students found they worked harder than their peers in some classes, just in order to keep up in terms of the language. Many found that students often talked in class or took phone calls (one even mentioned students left in the middle of class to get high). Several mentioned professors who threatened to fail the entire class, and professors who read straight from the texts during class. Several mentioned challenging research or long-term projects that they found challenging and made them feel accomplished. After hearing these experiences, I'd recommend direct exchanges to public universities for anyone looking for a more challenging immersion experience with more opportunities for academics.

The common factor for everyone I spoke to is that no matter the academic experience, they all developed a love for Brazil, and developed relationships with friends, classmates, teachers, and even future spouses. Some went on to work with Brazil from the US, or even moved back to Brazil. In the case of those who are Brazilian and went abroad, they returned with both an appreciation for advantages of their home schools and ideas for improvements.

Note: I'm still happy to take submissions and add them to the post or comments, so please feel free to share your experience.

January 11, 2010

There are few things I'm truly proud of, things that took years of hard work and determination and effort. One of those things are my language skills.

It's hard for me to imagine that just four years ago, I could barely speak Portuguese. I took a course while studying abroad in Buenos Aires, but it was hard to learn much while being immersed in Spanish and only having one Portuguese class a week. I struggled a lot, and since I was the only American in the class, I was an instant target for the teacher, who especially enjoyed picking on me. During the final exam, I was lost for part of the written test, and I was a complete disaster during the oral exam. I couldn't help but spew a terrible amalgam of mostly Spanish with a few Portuguese words thrown in. The teacher gritted his teeth as I stumbled over my words. I just barely passed.

While traveling in Brazil shortly after, my friends and I had a rather unfortunate incident involving crossed wires and misunderstandings (though not on our part), which forced me to speak as much Portuguese as I could possibly muster. And though it was miserable and completely minimal, we communicated, and finally worked things out. It was my first triumph em portugues.

Now, my Portuguese is as good as, if not better than my Spanish. Every job I have had since graduating from college has depended on my language skills, including the jobs I have now. I listen to music, watch movies, and read books in Spanish and Portuguese. I can occasionally fool people into thinking I'm a native speaker. I have served as a bridge between people and countries. I even help others learn Portuguese. And while I'm still far from perfect, I love the challenge of learning new words and expressions.

There are so many great quotes about languages, like that a person who speaks one language is worth one person, but a person who speaks two languages is worth two people. There's Karl Albrecht, who said, "Change your languages and you change your thoughts." There's Federico Fellini, who said, "A different language is a different vision of life." And there's a Czech proverb that says, "Learn a new language and get a new soul."

Speaking Portuguse (and Spanish) is one of the greatest gifts I could ever receive, gifts I worked hard to earn. I would be lost without them.

January 08, 2010

It has been a long, long week and I can barely keep my eyes open, but in a way, it's fitting, as the Goldman case comes to a close. Tonight, Dateline is airing a two hour special about the case, and I'm excited and afraid to relive the whole thing all over again. Because I have been on the roller coaster that is this case for nearly a year and a half, and it has been a crazy ride.

I was sitting at an ancient computer, shivering in the mountains of Rio state in September 2008 when I first heard about David's story. A reader sent me a link to the MSNBC story, and the floor fell out from under me as I scanned the words. I read it twice, and then a third time. I had to help.

So I started writing about the case, back when the Brazilian media was "banned" from telling the story, or really, was too chicken to defy the powerful Carioca clan who threatened to sue them all (they did, by the way, subpoena Rede Record, which filmed a piece on the case earlier on). A lone journalist, Dorrit Harazim, was the first Brazilian to really tell David's story in the magazine Piaui. Even back then, the American media wasn't that interested; NBC was among the first to cover the story. Only after Dateline's piece in January 2009 did the press on both continents perk up, and only then did the wheels really start spinning.

I realized quickly what I had gotten myself into, the risks I was taking, and the threats I was facing. But even though I spent nights tossing and turning, days destroying my nails, and plenty of nasty opposition, I knew it was worth it, because it was the right thing to do.

Eli and I soon discovered we could be useful by creating a bridge between Brazil and the US, namely by translating, but also keeping on top of developments in Rio and relaying them to the US. We did our best to get the word out in Rio, which wasn't easy, especially before the media agreed to cover the story. I was haunted every day by the fact that Sean was so close by, and I was utterly and completely powerless to what he was going through.

Through the case, I met and became friends with people I'm still friends with today, and also met people I never would have come in contact otherwise: a gun-toting, joke-cracking Texan, extremely dedicated Brazilians living in the United States (some of whom became David's fiercest supporters), tough moms from New Jersey, journalists, lawyers, and students, to name a few. This part was good.

But in the end, it was the case that gave me and Eli the kick in the behind we needed to get our act together and make plans. I truly hate to say this, but it was this case that opened my eyes to so many other issues in Brazil, especially in Rio, that made me realize it was time to go home. I'm not sorry about the rude awakening, though; while I feel a bit jaded, I feel better, knowing I was forced to take a good hard look at things I wouldn't have wanted to see otherwise. David's case is just a drop in the bucket.

On Christmas Eve morning, I sat at my desk in New York, weeping and hiccuping as I replayed the video of the plane taking off. It felt surreal, especially since I was beginning to believe Sean might never come home. Without Dateline, there would have been no Chris Smith; without Chris Smith, there probably wouldn't have been Hillary and Obama, and without them, there probably wouldn't have been Lautenberg, there at the bitter end. Without the pressure from this group and the media, I really believe the case would have languished in the courts even longer, possibly even until Sean turned 12 and they couldn't send him home anymore. It really felt like a miracle to see that plane take off.

I hope this is nearly the last post I write about this case (I'm going to post the Dateline videos once they're online). I don't want to have to write about the potential things that could happen: the grandmother baking a cake and bringing it to the Palacio do Planalto in Brasilia, the latest stunt from the Brazilian family lawyer, or any other crap Grobo manages to invent. This case is effectively closed, and Sean is finally home. I'm just happy I played a small role in helping achieve justice and bringing an end to so much sadness. I'm glad I got to be a little cog in the big wheel.

December 30, 2009

I'd like to take a break from our regularly scheduled programming to end the year on a high note.

This has been one of the most roller coaster-like years of my life, one that definitively changed the path I would take. The year began in Brazil, where Eli and I started his visa application process that would take a little over six months to complete. We did a lot of traveling at the beginning of the year, hanging out in Arraial do Cabo and Buzios with both of our families. There was the Globo Rio incident, and I still have not told the entirety of that story because it's kind of ridiculous and let's leave it at that. After that, though, my blog really took off.

Things finally started progressing with the Goldman case early in the year, and both Eli and I became more involved in the Bring Sean Home efforts. I made the rounds in Rio to the places I hadn't yet visited, trying to take advantage of my time knowing that I would be leaving soon. I made new friends, and fell out of touch with old ones. I continued volunteering at the ballet school. I still found it difficult to ignore all of the poverty and violence in the city. I spent most of my time in my beloved neighborhood of Botafogo, eating out, trolling the bookstores, walking along the orla, seeing lots of movies, and escaping the heat at Praia Shopping.

I tried to be good, trying to practice Spanish and exercise, but turned out not to have much time for the former and patience for the latter. I drank a lot of fruit juice, stressed out a lot, and didn't spend nearly enough time in the sun. Toward the end, things started getting unpleasant due to a number of factors, and I was ready to go home.

In May, I came home to New York, and Eli stayed in Rio to wait for his visa interview. I had my first job interview three days after I came home, and would have another ten or twelve over the next six months. I came really close, but didn't manage to get anything. I fell into a bit of a funk.

Nevertheless, coming home meant seeing my family and friends again, which was
necessary for my sanity. I was grateful and relieved to find that
despite the fact that I'd basically disappeared for two years, I still
had so many people I could count on.I haven't had the best luck since I've been back, but I do have them.

In June, Eli got his visa and came to the United States for the very first time. His first few weeks were a whirlwind, showing him the sites and overloading him with touristy stuff.

In July, we got married, though we have yet to have our big wedding. We only had ninety days to get hitched, since he came on a fiance visa. Luckily, though, since we did everything quickly, Eli's residency went through in just two months.

We spent the summer lazing around, traveling a bit in the tri-state area, taking walks in the woods, hanging out in Manhattan, and getting Eli accustomed to American life. He took a bartending course, and then got a job a few weeks later. He's still working there, but he was promoted to assistant manager. There are so many fantastic stories from his job, but I haven't quite gotten permission to write about them yet...they're coming in 2010.

In the meantime, I moped, did some writing, and applied to dozens of jobs. Finally, in October, I was hired for a temp job where I am still working. I got a second temp job in December, where I am also working. Though I'm technically working five days a week, I have no benefits, and essentially no job security. Eli still doesn't have health insurance. I'd mostly been applying to non-profit jobs, but discovered that my first temp job, which is for-profit, turned out to be a wonderful place to work. I just hope I can stay.

Even though I came home to discover just how bad the crisis was, things turned out fine, at least for the time being. I'm lucky, incredibly, terribly lucky, to have an amazing, wonderful
husband, a generous and understanding family, a (warm) roof over my
head, great friends, and at least a semblance of a career path. We still have a long way to go and some hurdles left to clear, but we're getting there. I just hope next year there are less bumps along the way.